Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Primary
Pri′ma-ry
,Adj.
1.
First in order of time or development or in intention; primitive; fundamental; original.
The church of Christ, in its
primary
institution. Bp. Pearson.
These I call original, or
primary
, qualities of body. Locke.
2.
First in order, as being preparatory to something higher;
as,
primary
assemblies; primary
schools.3.
First in dignity or importance; chief; principal;
as,
; a matter of primary importance. primary
planets4.
(Geol.)
Earliest formed; fundamental.
5.
(Chem.)
Illustrating, possessing, or characterized by, some quality or property in the first degree; having undergone the first stage of substitution or replacement.
Primary alcohol
(Organic Chem.)
, any alcohol which possess the group
– CH2.OH
, and can be oxidized so as to form a corresponding aldehyde and acid having the same number of carbon atoms; – distinguished from secondary and tertiary alcohols
. Primary amine
(Chem.)
, an amine containing the amido group, or a derivative of ammonia in which only one atom of hydrogen has been replaced by a basic radical; – distinguished from
– secondary and tertiary amines
. Primary amputation
(Surg.)
, an amputation for injury performed as soon as the shock due to the injury has passed away, and before symptoms of inflammation supervene.
– Primary axis
(Bot.)
, the main stalk which bears a whole cluster of flowers.
– Primary colors
. See under
– Color
. Primary meeting
, a meeting of citizens at which the first steps are taken towards the nomination of candidates, etc. See
– Caucus
. Primary pinna
(Bot.)
, one of those portions of a compound leaf or frond which branch off directly from the main rhachis or stem, whether simple or compounded.
– Primary planets
. (Astron.)
See the Note under
– Planet
. Primary qualities of bodies
, such are essential to and inseparable from them.
– Primary quills
(Zool.)
, the largest feathers of the wing of a bird; primaries.
– Primary rocks
(Geol.)
, a term early used for rocks supposed to have been first formed, being crystalline and containing no organic remains, as granite, gneiss, etc.; – called also
– primitive rocks
. The terms Secondary, Tertiary, and Quaternary rocks have also been used in like manner, but of these the last two only are now in use. Primary salt
(Chem.)
, a salt derived from a polybasic acid in which only one acid hydrogen atom has been replaced by a base or basic radical.
– Primary syphilis
(Med.)
, the initial stage of syphilis, including the period from the development of the original lesion or chancre to the first manifestation of symptoms indicative of general constitutional infection.
– Primary union
(Surg.)
, union without suppuration; union by the first intention.
Pri′ma-ry
,Noun.
pl.
Primaries
. 1.
That which stands first in order, rank, or importance; a chief matter.
2.
A primary meeting; a caucus.
3.
(Zool.)
Webster 1828 Edition
Primary
PRI'MARY
,Adj.
1.
First in order of time; original; as the church of Christ in its primary institution. These I call original or primary qualities of body.
2.
First in dignity or importance; chief; principal. Our ancestors considered the education of youth or primary importance.3.
Elemental; intended to teach youth the first rudiments; as primary schools.4.
Radical; original; as the primary sense of a word.Primary planets, are those which revolve about the sun, in distinction form the secondary planets, which revolve about the primary.
Primary qualities of bodies, are such as are original and inseparable from them.
Definition 2024
primary
primary
English
Adjective
| Latinate ordinals | ||
| Previous: | n/a | |
| Next: | secondary | |
primary (comparative more primary, superlative most primary)
- The first in a group or series.
- Children attend primary school, and teenagers attend secondary school.
- Bishop Pearson
- the church of Christ, in its primary institution
- John Locke
- These I call original, or primary, qualities of body.
- Main; principal; placed ahead of others.
- Preferred stock has primary claim on dividends, ahead of common stock.
- (geology) Earliest formed; fundamental.
- (chemistry) Illustrating, possessing, or characterized by, some quality or property in the first degree; having undergone the first stage of substitution or replacement.
- (medicine) Relating to the place where a disorder or disease started to occur.
- (medicine) Relating to day-to-day care provided by health professionals such as nurses, general practitioners, dentists etc.
Derived terms
Derived terms
Translations
first in a group or series
that which is placed ahead of others
See also
Noun
primary (plural primaries)
- A primary election; a preliminary election to select a political candidate of a political party.
- The first year of grade school.
- A base or fundamental component; something that is irreducible.
- The most massive component of a gravitationally bound system.
- A primary school.
- 2001, David Woods, Martyn Cribb, Effective LEAs and school improvement
- Excellence in Cities offers a further development of this approach, whereby secondary schools operate with small clusters of primaries as mini-EAZs.
- 2001, David Woods, Martyn Cribb, Effective LEAs and school improvement
- (ornithology) Any flight feather attached to the manus (hand) of a bird.
- A primary colour.
- 2003, Julie A Jacko, Andrew Sears, The human-computer interaction handbook
- By adding and subtracting the three primaries, cyan, yellow, and magenta are produced. These are called subtractive primaries.
- 2003, Julie A Jacko, Andrew Sears, The human-computer interaction handbook
- (electronics) A directly driven inductive coil, as in a transformer or induction motor that is magnetically coupled to a secondary
Translations
primary election — see primary election
first year of grade school
base or fundamental component
ornithology: flight feather
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Verb
primary (third-person singular simple present primaries, present participle primarying, simple past and past participle primaried)
- (US, intransitive) To take part in a primary election.
- (US, politics) To challenge an incumbent sitting politician for their political party's endorsement to run for re-election, through running a challenger campaign in a primary election